Embossing arrangement with resilient deformable plug used as a die member



D. TRAVAGLIO 3,339,694 EMBOSSING ARRANGEMENT WITH RESILIENT DEFORMABLEPLUG USED AS A DIE MEMBER Original Filed Jan 21. 1965 Sept. 5, 1967 'i'ljgl/llm /Nl ENTOR DAL/W 7kAvAeL/o ATTO NEYS United States Patent 8Claims. (Cl. 1976.7)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tool for embossing indicia on a strip ofembossable material having a plurality of female dies and an element ofresilient deformable material which can be moved into selective femaledies to constitute a male die element.

The present invention relates generally to label making machines whichfunction by embossing letters, numbers, or other characters in a lengthof relatively soft plastic tape, or the like, and is more particularlydirected to an improved embossing arrangement therefor. This applicationis a continuation of my application Ser. No. 426,948, filed Jan. 21,1965, entitled, Embossing Arrangement.

Embossing devices are well known which are arranged such that a strip ofplastic tape or the like is fed past embossing die means which may beactuated to emboss a character in the tape. Typically the die means ofthese devices are provided as a plurality of different indiciacomplementary maleand female die sets formed at circumferentially spacedpositions of a character selector disk of plastic, or the like. One dieof each set is formed in an underface of a relatively rigid backingportion of the disk while the other die of the set is formed in a facingsurface of one of a plurality of flexible split leaf sections whichproject radially outward from a hub portion of the disk. The disk isrotatable to selectively position the different indicia die sets at anembossing station of the device whereat the strip of tape is receivedbetween the complementary dies. Actuation of a handle, or equivalentmeans, then effects movement of a plunger, or equivalent actuatingmember, into engagement with the flexible leaf section positioned at theembossing station to close the complementary dies upon the tapetherebetween and emboss a character in the tape. Release of the handlethen disengages the plunger from the leaf section to permit opening ofthe dies and release of the tape. Release of the handle also typicallyserves to advance the strip and place same in position for receiving thenext embossment.

It will be appreciated that conventional die embossing arrangements ofthe type outlined above are disadvantageous and limited in certainrespects. Aside from the complexity of the basic design of the disk,various other complexities accrue from the requirement that the tapepass between the leafs and backing portion of the disk, and the factthat the hub portion of the disk obstructs passage of the tapediametrically through the disk. In other words, the tape must passthrough the disk along a path offset from a diameter thereof.Consequently, the dies must be oriented at a predetermined angle, otherthan perpendicular, to radii of the disk in order that the charactersembossed in the tape be oriented perpendicular to the axis thereof.Moreover, conventional die embossing arrangements of the above varietyare not particularly conducive to having a large capacity of differentindicia die sets. It

will be appreciated that the disk structure becomes ex-' tremely complexwhere it is attempted to provide varied groups of die sets on oppositefaces of the disk such that same may be reversibly positioned in theembosslng de- 3,339,694 Patented Sept. 5, 1967 vice to present therespective groups of die sets to the tape at the embossing station.Similarly, the complexity of the disk structure is materially increasedwhere it is attempted to provide groups of die sets respectively atdifferent radii of the disk.

It is therefore an 'object of the present invention to provide animproved embossing arrangement of relatively simple design foremployment in embossing tools, and the like.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an embossingarrangement of the class described which permits tape to passdiametrically of an indicia carrying selector disk of the arrangement.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an embossingarrangement of the class described which facilitates the incorporationof an extremely large quanmade by the said drawing and description maybe adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective of one type of embossing tool embodying theimproved embossing arrangement of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation view with portions broken away of theembossing tool, illustrating in particular the improved embossingarrangement in unactuated position.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the embossingarrangement in actuated embossing position.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, but depicting the arrangement inan actuated tape cut-off position.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary plan view of an indicia die carrying selectordisk of the embossing arrangement.

The embossing arrangement of the present invention is illustrated in thedrawing in association with a particular hand operated embossing tool ofbut one of many types of tool in which the arrangement may be employed.It will also be appreciated that the invention is likewise applicable toembossing tools other than the hand operated variety.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, a hand operated embossing tool ofgenerally conventional design is indicated at 11, which however embodiesthe improved embossing arrangement of the present invention. Inasmuch asthe basic rudiments of the tool 11 are well known and have no directbearing on the present invention, the tool is only briefly describedhereinafter. Basically, the tool 11 includes an elongated body member 12and a handle member 13 pivotally attached thereto and resilientlyretained in an unactuated position by means of a spring 14 actingtherebetween. A strip 15 of plastic tape or other embossable material isprovided, for example, in a magazine 16 and is led longitudinally of thebody member 12 as by means of a guide slot in a fiat upper wall por ber12. In this regard, with the cover open, the disk is placed with theaxle bushing extending through a central aperture 24 of the disk. Aretaining pin 26 is inserted in force fit engagement with the bushing toretain the disk thereon. The disk may be rotated to selectively positionthe different indicia dies thereby carried at an embossing stationadjacent the forward end of the slot 19. The disk is lettered withcharacters, as indicated at 27, in such a manner that when the variousindicia dies are positioned at the embossing station, the correspondingcharacters are viewed through a selector window 28 extending through thecover 18. Embossment of the tape by a die thus selectively positioned atthe embossing station is then effected in response to movement of thehandle member 13 against the loading of spring 14 towards the bodymember 12. The handle member is also operatively associated with feedmeans (not shown) arranged to advance the tape longitudinally of thebody upon spring loaded return of the handle to unactuated position.Embossment of the tape by the above noted movement of the handle memberis generally facilitated by an actuating member which is movable withthe handle member. The actuating member moves upwardly through anopening in the Wall portion 17 into die actuating association with thedie at the embossing station to thereby effect an embossment in thetape.

As noted previously, the die carrying selector disk conventionallyemployed in an embossing tool such as the tool 11 has included a backingportion and flexible split leaf sections projecting radially outwardfrom a hub portion of the disk and spaced from the backing portion. Setsof male and female dies are provided on the facing surfaces of thebacking portion and split leaf sections adjacent the disk circumference.The tape passes between the backing portion and leaf sections and whenthe dies of any given set are closed upon the tape by urging thecorresponding leaf section into engagement with the backing portion, thetape is embossed. The die actuating member of the tool is then typicallyprovided as a rigid plunger or button which is movable upwardly by thehandle member 13 into engagement with the leaf section of the diskpositioned at the embossing station to thereby close the associated dieset upon the tape. The conventional embossing arrangement just describedis variously limited and disadvantageous in the respects previouslynoted. To overcome such limitations and disadvantages, the tool 11 isprovided with an improved relatively simple embossing arrangement inaccordance with the present invention, which is described below.

In accordance with the present invention an embossing arrangement isprovided which in broad respects includes means defining female dies inthe form of desired indicia and an actuating element of resilientdeformable material. The resilient deformable actuating element ismovable to urge a strip of tape, or the like, into engagement with oneof the female dies. Portions of the tape are thus urged into the femaledie by the actuating element which is resiliently deformed to provide amale die comple- I ment. The indicia of the female die is therebyembossed on the tape. When the actuating element is disengaged from thedie, the element is resiliently restored to its original form. In thismanner the actuating element functions as a male die complement to eachof the varied indicia dies. A material simplification in the embossingarrangement is thus readily apparent in that only one die and thedeformable actuating element are required to emboss each indicia, ratherthan a die set and an actuating element.

Considering now the embossing arrangement in greater detail as to themanner in which same is incorporated in the tool 11, it is to be notedthat a plurality of different indicia female dies 29 are formed in theselector disk 23 at circumferentially spaced positions adjacent the diskperiphery. Preferably, the disk is of hard plastic and the dies areoriented perpendicular to the disk radii. The

characters 27 are provided on the opposite face of the disk from that inwhich the female dies 29 are formed. In the present instance thereadable lettered characters 27 corresponding to the die indicia 29 ofthe respective dies are disposed radially inward therefrom and areoriented in alignment with the disk radii, e.g., the lettered charactercorresponding to the letter I would lie on a radius of the disk whilethe die indicia of such character would lie perpendicular to the radius.In other words, as here illustrated, the die indicia are oriented in amanner as to emboss letters on the tape in a normal upright position andreadable from left to right when the tape is placed horizontally withthe end carrying the first embossed letter being the left end. Thus, theembossing station of the tool 11 is positioned longitudinally forward ofthe selector window 28, the die corresponding to a given characterviewed through the window being positioned immediately forward of thewindow. It is particularly important to note that the tape in beingguided longitudinally of the wall portion 17 to the embossing stationpasses diametrically of the disk 23.

The die actuating means of the embossing arrangement as employed in thetool 11 includes an actuating lever 31 which is coupled to the handlemember 13 and is pivotally movable therewith. The lever 31 includes afiat upper surface portion 32 which moves through the opening in theupper wall portion 17 of the body into substantially flush relation tothe upper surface thereof when the handle member is moved towards thebody member to actuated position. A plug or button 33 of resilientdeformable material, such as urethane rubber, is secured to the surfaceportion 32 of level 31. Thus, when the handle member is actuated, thebutton engages the tape with the female die 29 at the embossing stationand is resiliently deformed to a male die complement to emboss the tapetherebetween, as illustrated in FIGURE 3.

To facilitate cut-off of embossed ta-pe copy from the remainder of thestrip 15, a cut-off die 34 is carried by the selector disk 23 at one ofthe selectable indicia positions thereof. The die 34 includes a pair ofknife blades 36 having sharpened edges projecting slightly from the faceof the disk. It will be appreciated that the resilient deformable button33 would normally be cut and mutilated in engaging the tape with theknife blades 36 of the cut-off die 34. To obviate this problem, thecut-off die 34 in the present instance is positioned at a lesser radiusof the disk 23 than the dies 29. In addition, a recess 37 is formed inthe disk at the same radius as the dies 29 and radially opposite thecut-off die. Thus, when the cutoff die is positioned at the embossingstation and the handle member 13 is actuated, the flat upper surfaceportion 32 of lever 31 engages the tape with the knife blades 36 whilethe button 33 is received in the recess 37, as indicated in FIGURE 4.

It will be appreciated that although the embossing arrangement of thepresent invention has been hereinbefore described with reference to theprovision of a single group of dies on a selector disk, the arrangementis particularly conducive to the provision of multiple groups of dies ona single disk to thereby materially increase the quantity of charactersthat are embossable therewith. In this regard, a group of dies may bereadily provided on each of the opposite faces of the disk. Upon removalof the disk from an embossing device and replacement therein in reversedposition, a different group of dies are selectively positionable at theembossing station. Moreover, a plurality of groups of dies may bereadily provided at different radii of the disk on one or both facesthereof.

. Thus, where an embossing device is provided with means rial to anembossing station of said body member, the improvement comprising aselector disk mounted for rotation relative to said body, said diskhaving a plurality of circumferentially spaced different indicia femaledies formed in a face thereof and respectively positionable at saidembossing station upon rotation of said disk, a resilient deformableelement dis-posed at said embossing station, an actuating member coupledto said element for responsive movement of the latter into engagementwith said disk at the position of a die at said embossing station, oneof said dies comprising an enlarged recess for freely receiving saiddeformable element, and a cut-off die in radial alignment with saidenlarged recess and radially spaced therefrom to effect a transversecutting of the strip.

2. An embossing tool comprising an elongated body member having a flatupper wall portion and means for guiding a strip of embossable materiallongitudinally of said wall portion to an opening at a forward endthereof, a cover overlying said body member and adapted for movementbetween an open position displaced from said upper wall portion and aclosed position longitudinally bridging said wall portion and defining atransverse disk receiving slot therewith, a character selector diskdisposed in said transverse slot and journalled for rotation on saidcover, said disk having a plurality of circumferentially spaceddifferent indicia female dies formed therein selectively positionableover said opening in response to disk rotation, an actuating handlemember pivotally connected to said body member and normally springloaded to an unactuated position relatively spaced from said bodymember, said handle member movable towards said body member to anactuated position, an actuating lever coupled to said handle member forpivotal movement therewith, said lever having a fiat upper surfaceportion movable through said opening into substantially flush relationto the upper surface of said upper wall portion of said body member whensaid handle member is in actuated position, a button of resilientdeformable material secured to said flat upper surface portion of saidlever at a position of enlargement with a die positioned in overlyingrelation to said opening, a cut-off die mounted on said disk at adifferent radius than that of said female dies, said disk having arecess at the radius of said female dies and radially opposite saidcut-off die for receiving said button when said cut-off die is radiallyaligned with said opening.

3. An embossing tool comprising an elongated body member having a flatupper wall portion and means for guiding a strip of embossable materiallongitudinally of said wall portion to an opening at a forward endthereof, a cover overlying said body member and adapted for movementbetween an open position displaced from said upper wall portion and aclosed position longitudinally bridging said wall portion and defining atransverse disk receiving slot therewith, a character selector diskdisposed in said transverse slot and journalled for rotation on saidcover, said disk having a plurality of circumferentially spaceddiflferent indicia female dies formed therein selectively positionableover said opening in response to disk rotation, an actuating handlemember pivotally connected to said body member and normally springloaded to an unactuated position relatively spaced from said bodymember, said handle member movable towards said body member to anactuated position, an actuating lever coupled to said handle member forpivotal movement therewith, said lever having a flat upper surfaceportion movable through said opening into substantially flush relationto the upper surface of said upper'wall portion of said body member whensaid handle member is in actuated position, and a button of resilientdeformable material secured to said fiat upper surface portion of saidlever at a position of engagement with a die positioned in overlyingrelation to said opening.

4. In an embossing tool having a body provided with guide means forguiding a strip of embossable material to an embossing station of saidbody, a selector disk, means mounting said disk for rotation relative tosaid body, said disk having a plurality of circumferentially spaceddifferent indicia female dies formed in a surface thereof with such diesbeing selectively positioned at said embossing station upon rotation ofsaid disk, an actuating member carried on said body, a resilientdeformable plug element mounted on said actuating member adjacent saidembossing station, said plug element being normally disposed in spacedrelation to said disk surface and movable towards said surface and intoselective female dies positioned at said embossing station uponactuation of said member, and said element being resiliently deformed toconstitute a male die complement to the selective female dies upon saidmember actuation.

5. An embossing tool as set forth in claim 4 in which said body has aportion overlying the other surface of said disk at said embossingstation, and said actuating member having a surface portion movabletowards said first mentioned disk surface with said plug elementextending beyond said surface portion.

6. An embossing tool as set forth in claim 4 in which said actuatingmember is pivotally connected to said body for movement from and towardssaid disk surface.

7. A tool as set forth in claim 6 in which said actuating member has asurface portion in confronting relation to said disk surface, and inwhich said plug element extends beyond said surface portion and towardssaid disk surface.

'8. An embossing tool comprising a body having guide means for guiding astrip of embossable material to an embossing station on said body, meanson said body defining a disk receiving slot, a character selector diskdisposed in said slot and journalled for rotation on said body, saiddisk having a plurality of circumferentially spaced different indiciafemale dies formed in a flat surface thereof selectively positionable atsaid embossing station in response to disk rotation, an actuating memberpivotally carried by said body and normally urged to an unactuatedposition in spaced relation to said disk surface and movable to anactuated position, a button of resilient deformable material carried bysaid actuating member adjacent said embossing station whereby movementof said actuating member to said actuated position will move said buttoninto a die at said station, and said button being resiliently deformableto selectively constitute a male die complement for each of the femaledies.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 366,755 7/ 1887 Baker 101-23632,136 8/1899 Moore 197-6-.7 750,432 1/ 1904 Casler et a1. 197--6.7775,354 11/1904 Roovers et al 1976.7 781,620 1/ 1905 Roovers et a1198-6'.7 900,622 /10/ 1908 Wait 101-23 1,060,387 4/1913 Wait 101233,083,807 4/1963 Travaglio 1976.7 3,129,800 4/ 1964 Bogeous 197-6.73,155,215 -11/1964 Avery 1976 .7

ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

E. S. BURR, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN AN EMBOSSING DEVICE HAVING A BODY MEMBER HAVING GUIDE MEANS FORGUIDING A STRIP OF EMBOSSABLE MATERIAL TO AN EMBOSSING STATION OF SAIDBODY MEMBER, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A SELECTOR DISK MOUNTED FORROTATION RELATIVE TO SAID BODY, SAID DISK HAVING A PLURALITY OFCIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED DIFFERENT INDICIA FEMALE DIES FORMED IN A FACETHEREOF AND RESPECTIVELY POSITIONABLE AT SAID EMBOSSING STATION UPONROTATION OF SAID DISK, A RESILIENT DEFORMABLE ELEMENT DISPOSED AT SAIDEMBOSSING STATION, AN ACTUATING MEMBER COUPLED TO SAID ELEMENT FORRESPONSIVE MOVEMENT OF THE LATTER INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID DISK AT THEPOSITION OF A DIE AT SAID EMBOSSING STATION, ONE OF SAID DIES COMPRISINGAN ENLARGED RECESS FOR FREELY RECEIVING SAID DEFORMABLE ELEMENT, AND ACUT-OFF DIE IN RADIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID ENLARGE RECESS AND RADIALLYSPACED THEREFROM TO EFFECT A TRANSVERSE CUTTING OF THE STRIP.